THE RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY 1996 44(2) : 399-403

NEW TAXA OF EROTINI (INSECTA: COLEOPTERA: LYCIDAE) FROM BORNEO

Serguei V. Kasantsev

ABSTRACT. - A new subgenus, Taphomimus, is established in Pyropterus Mulsant, 1838, and a new species P. (Taphomimus) sarawakanus (Sarawak, East Malaysia) is described. Pyropterus tonkineus (Pic, 1923) and P. diocisus Bodk & Bocakova, 1991, are transferred to Taphomimus. A key to the subgenera of Pyropterus is presented.

INTRODUCTION

The genus Pyropterus is known to include two subgenera, i.e. Pyropterus s. str. and Helcophorus Fairmaire, 1891 (Kasantsev, 1993, 1995). Another subgenus is added below, along with the description of a new species, accompanied with some taxonomic changes that seem necessary.

MORPHOLOGY AND SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT

The lycid tribe Erotini is a well defined group characterised by the conspicuous rhomboidal pronotal cell extending from anterior to posterior margins and by the median lobe of the aedeagus fully enveloped in a pair of tube-shaped paramerae. The genera within the tribe are mostly separated on the basis of presence/absence of secondary elytral costae in the interstices between the primary ones, or, in other words, presence of a single or a double row of cells in the interstices (examples of the two are Dictyoptera Latreille, 1829, and Pyropterus Mulsant, 1838). Some genera are also distinguished by a somewhat irregular shape of the pronotal rhomboid cell (Lycoprogenthes Pic, 1915), of the aedeagus (Coloberos Bourgeois, 1885), or of both (Taphes e.O.Waterhouse, 1878).

Generally all Lycidae of the tribe Erotini show little morphological divergence and the question of superspecific separation remains obscure. On one hand almost in all species with a single row of reticulate cells in elytral interstices there are traces of double rows in

Serguei V.Kasantsev - Insect Centre, Severtzov Institute of Problems of Animal Evolution and Ecology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow. Home address: Donetskaya 13-326, Moscow 109651, RUSSIA.

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the basal part of elytra. On the other hand some species with double rows of cells show a tendency to lose the second row in some of the interstices and/or in the central portion of the elytra. Some species of presumably different origin are often listed together in polyphyletic taxa, such as Dictyoptera, Benibotarus and Pyropterus.

The supraspecific structure of the former two was studied recently (Kasantsev, 1990, 1995), the difference between the subgenera of Pyropterus being shown in the key that follows.

KEY TO THE SUBGENERA OF PYROPTERUS

l. Humeral elytral costa much stouter that the other .................... ... ...... ...... ................... Helcophorus All four primary elytral costae equally developed ....... ..................... ... ... ... .... ............................... 2

2. Median pronotal cell of regular rhomboidal or oval shape. Elytral pubescence uniform ............ . ....... ..... ...... .... ... ..... ...... ..... ..... ... ..................... .... ............ ... .... ..... ... ......... ........ ................ Pyropterus

Lateral angles of median pronotal cell stretched outwards. Elytral costae densely pubescent, while bottom of cells hairless ............................................................................................ Taphomimus

Pyropterus (Taphomimus), new subgenus

Type species: Pyropterus (Taphomimus) sarawakanus, new species, by present designation.

Diagnosis. - Eyes relatively small. Antennae filiform, with second and third joints much shorter than fourth, but third evidently larger than second. Fourth and subsequent joints of antennae with erect curved pubescence. Pronotum transverse, with median rhomboidal cell stretched outwardly at lateral angles and a pair of conspicuous oblong additional cells below the median one (Fig. O. Elytra with four equally developed primary costae, interstices with a single row of well defined rectangular cells. Elytral costae pubescent, with bottom of cells hairless. Tarsi with widened and gradually diminishing in length (except ultimate) joints.

Etymology. - The name is derived from the generic name Taphes and the Latin for mime, alluding to the resemblance of the new taxon to the aforesaid genus. Gender masculine.

Remarks. - Taphomimus is easily distinguishable from Pyropterus s. str. by the shape of the pronotal cell and the elytral pubescence. In certain aspect the new subgenus resembles some of other Erotini taxa: by the pronotal sculpture - Taphes, Eros and Protaphes Kleine, 1926, differing from the three by a single row of cells in each of the elytral interstices; by the elytral pubescence - Punicealis Kasantsev, 1990, distinguishing from the latter by the pronotal and elytral sculpture.

Also, Taphomimus bears certain resemblance to the fossil Kolibaceum Winkler, 1987, described from the Baltic amber. Similar in the structure of pronotum the fossil taxon however is readily distinguishable by the strong humeral elytral costa.

The relationships between the new subgenus and Pyropterus s. str. are similar to those between Dictyoptera s. str. and Dictyoptera (Punicealis), the latter also differing by the uniform elytral pubescence, in addition to the long trochanters.

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Pyropterus (Taphomimus) sarawakanus, new species (Fig. 1)

Material examined. - Holotype - male, Kuching (Insect Centre, Severtzov Institute of Problems of Animal Evolution and Ecology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow).

Description. - Male. Dark brown. Pronotal ribs and elytra red.

Head glabrous, flat behind antenna! prominence. Eyes relatively small (interocular distance 3.4 times as long as the radius). Clypeus small, semicircular. Maxillary palpi slender, with ultimate joint about 1.5 times longer than joint 3, flattening and slightly narrowing toward apex. Antennae filiform, reaching slightly over the middle of elytra, with joint 3 wider and slightly longer than joint 2 and both together 1.5 times as short as joint 4; joints 4 to 10 subequal in length; joint 11 the longest, 1.2 times longer than joint 4; 3 basal joints in somewhat more decumbent pubescence than following joints.

Pronotum transverse, 1.7 times wider than long, with conspicuous median areola, connected with side margins by prominent carinae and accompanied by a pair of additional cells below and a pair of less conspicuous round cells above; hind angles acute, moderately long (Fig. 1). Scutellum slightly elongate, emarginate at apex.

Elytra relatively long, 2.5 times as long as wide humerally, slightly widening posteriorly, with 4 conspicuous primary costae; interstices with a single row of regular transverse rectangular cells and traces of double rows basally. Pubescence along the costae short and relatively dense.

Aedeagus - Fig. 2.

Length: 5.6 mm. Width (humerally): 1.7 mm.

Female. Unknown.

Etymology.- The name is derived from the country where the unique specimen was collected.

2

Figs. 1-2. Pyropterus (Taphomimus) sarawakanus, new subgenus, new species. Ho]otype male: 1, Anterior part of the body; 2, Aedeagus. Scale = 0.5 mm.

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Remarks. - The new species differs from both P. (Taphomimus) tonkineus and P. (Taphomimus) diocisus by the coloration and the shape of the aedeagus. The possible nearest affinities in adjacent genera are Protaphes species and Taphes brevicollis e.O.Waterhouse, 1878, separable by the much shorter third antennal segment and double rows of cells in the elytral interstices.

It is worth mentioning that in Taphes brevicollis there exists a smooth transition from forms with double rows of quite regular square cells in the elytral interstices to forms with a single row in the interstices at the disca1 portion and traces of irregular double interstitial reticulation at the basis and apex of each elytron.

Pyropterus (Taphomimus) tonkineus (Pic, 1923), new combination

Taphes tonkineus Pic, 1923: 16-17 (Tonkin). Pyropterus (s.str.) tonkineus; Kasantsev, 1993: 62.

Distribution. - Northern Vietnam.

Remarks.- The Lectotype of this species from the Paris Museum of Natural History has been studied (Kasantsev, 1993).

Pyropterus (Taphomimus) diocisus (Bocak & Bocakova, 1991), new combination

Pyropterus diocisus Bocak & Bocakova, 1991: 316-318 (Chapa).

Material examined. - VIETNAM: provo Gialai-Contum, 40 km N Ankhe, tropical forest, 8 Nov.1979, L.Medvedev; provo Gialai-Contum, 40 km N Ankhe, tropical forest, 21 Nov.1979, L.Medvedev (all in the Insect Centre, Severtzov Institute of Problems of Animal Evolution and Ecology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow).

Distribution. - Vietnam.

Remarks.- Though not mentioned in the description (Bocak & Bocakova, 1991) the species some specimens of which are at my disposal possesses characters of Taphomimus. The last two species do not seem to have an additional pair of conspicuous areolae on the pronotum, otherwise corresponding and undoubtedly belonging to this subgenus.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

It is my pleasant duty to express my gratitude to Lev Medvedev (Severtzov Institute of Animal Evolution and Ecology Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow), Jean J. Menier (Musee national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris) and Dennis H. Murphy (National University of Singapore) for the typical and comparative material that has been used in the course of this study and for the valuable comments.

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LITERATURE CITED

Bocak:, L. & M. Bocakova, 1991. Notes on some Palaearctic and Oriental representatives of the tribe Erotini (Coleoptera, Lycidae). Acta Entom. Bohemosl., 88: 313-326.

Bourgeios, J., 1885. Diagnoses de Lycides nouveaux ou peu connus (5e partie). Ann. Soc. entom. Fr. (6), 5: 71-84.

Fairmaire, L., 1891. Descriptions de coleopteres des montagnes de Kashmir. Ann. Soc. ent. Belg., 35: 129-130.

Kasantsev, S., 1990. Two new subgenera and a new species of the genus Dictyoptera (Coleoptera, Lycidae) from Eastern Asia. Vest. Zoo/.. 1: 10-15 (in Russian with English summary).

Kasantsev, S. , 1993. Lycides nouveaux ou peu connus de l'Indochine (Coleoptera). Bull. Mus. natl. Hist. nat. (4), 15, section A (1-4): 49-68.

Kasantsev, S., 1995. New data on the Russian fauna of Lycidae (Coleoptera). Zool. Journ., 74 (5): 35-44 (in Russian with English summary).

Kleine, R., 1926. Protaphes, a new Lycid-genus from Sarawak. Sarawak Mus. JOIlI71 ., 3: 363-365.

Latreille, P.A., 1829: in Cuvier, G.L.Ch.F.D., 182911830. Le Regne animale, Ed. 2., VoL 4. Crustaces, arachnides et partie des insectes: 1-461.

Mulsant, E., 1838. Tableau synoptique des Lycides ou des especes du genre Lycus, qui se rencontrent dans les environs de Lyons. Ann. Soc. Agric. Lyon, 1: 77-82.

Pic, M., 1915. Nouvelles especes de diverses familles. Mel. exot.-entom., 16: 6.

Pic, M., 1923. Etude des Malacodermes de l'Indochine recueillis par M.R.Vitalis de Salvaza. Faune Entom. Indoch. Fr. , 1: 7-24.

Winkler, 1.R., 1987. Three new genera of fossil Lycidae from Baltic Amber (Coleoptera, Lycidae). Mitt. Munch. Entom. Ges., 77: 61-78.

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Received 24 Mar 1996 Accepted 28 Aug 1996